1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of medical devices. More particularly, it relates to an instrument used in the field of suture placement during surgery. Even more particularly, it relates to an instrument that may be used to position one or more needles in locations that are difficult to suture using conventional methods.
2. Description of Related Art
In the field of medical surgery, suture placement is an integral part of the vast majority of operations. Many surgical procedures entail the placement of a difficult stitch or stitches. Traditional needle advancement and positioning instruments almost exclusively use a hemostat-like tool that allows a needle to be gripped by the tool and then advanced into the tissue being sutured. For instance, in either open or traditional laparoscopic suturing procedures, a needle is often grasped by one of these traditional instruments, and the needle, along with the suture coupled to the needle, is placed in the desired position and driven through tissue. The needle is then exchanged or adjusted with a second instrument.
Such tools are disadvantageous because it is often difficult for a doctor to grasp and position the needle. Additionally, many of these devices only allow for the placement of a single needle at a time. Furthermore, using traditional devices to position multiple needles in the tissue of a patient is also time consuming, and is therefore detrimental to the patient as the length of the surgical procedure is increased. A need therefore exists for an instrument that would allow for the precise and rapid positioning of needles during surgical procedures.